


Cosmos

by abluecanarylite



Series: Branwen Stories [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29848335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abluecanarylite/pseuds/abluecanarylite
Summary: Varric rediscovers Branwen is a big science nerd.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Iron Bull
Series: Branwen Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194395
Kudos: 1





	Cosmos

**Author's Note:**

> Written 2016. An unbeta'd, barely edited, quick piece. Inspired by the show Cosmos.

**"Cosmos"**

**By Erin**

_Prompt:_ Cosmos

The Dwarven clock that ticked away on the Inquisitor’s desk read midnight, which usually meant there was a chunk of people drunk down in the kitchens, while others were trying to get a proper night’s sleep. Branwen was a special case, despite needing sleep and a stiff drink, he found her on the balcony of her room, pillows and raggedy sheets strewn about her on the stone floor. To the untrained eye, the mage might have been sleeping under the stars, but she clutched her ever present notebook to her chest and was absentmindedly dipping her quill into the ink beside her, studying the sky.

Varric allowed himself into her space and made sure his boots hit heavily against the stone to warn her of his entrance. “What’cha doin’, clockwork?”

Branwen took a moment to finish an inner thought before looking at him. “Studying the sky. I’m trying to see where the other planets are.”

“Other…” Looking up at the sky, he sighed and turned to drag over a chair to sit in. “What in the fade are you talking about?”

As he sat down, she opened her notebook to a page full of constellations. Her slender fingers pointed up at the sky towards a familiar set of lights. “Do you see that one up there, near the cluster? It’s not blinking.”

He eyed the blackness and shrugged. “Well, yeah…”

She waved away his dismissal and stood up, flattening her skirts quickly before she went to grab her telescope and eyeglasses. “That’s not a star at all, but something else entirely reflecting light – much like the moon. At least, that’s what one of my mentors and his peers are saying. We’ve been trying to figure out why the sun and moons move as they do. Why don’t all the stars blink? Why do they change position during the seasons? Why do the full moons affect Thedas as they do? We were also studying fallen stars and finding alchemy components no one has ever seen before! It’s all very fascinating; I’m surprised you haven’t read…” Her words began to blur a bit in his head as she started in on bigger bits of information that required more sleep.

Branwen was flurry of movements, her hands reaching out to the stars as if she could take hold of the lights and show each of them to his bewildered eyes. She was always like this, a flutter of information and excitement at the slightest issue. The why’s and the how’s, the when’s and even the where’s filled her up with an energy that reminded him of moments in Kirkwall.

Varric suddenly found himself interrupting her spill of information. “You would have loved sailing with Isabella.”

Bare feet stopped their dance and Branwen stared at him as if he had just told her the answer to an overly complicated problem.

“Isabella? I don’t think you’ve told me of her. Was she a Captain?” She immediately took a seat at his feet and looked content to stop the lesson he was sure he was supposed to be listening to.

“She _is_ a Captain, yes. Back in Kirkwall, she helped the Champion and even got us out of the country when war broke out.” He let himself smirk at the thought of how tickled the woman would be if she met the ever intrigued Inquisitor. “She could help you with how the moons affect the tide and tell you all about how the stars move. I guess not a lot of mages get the chance to take those sorts of trips.”

She suddenly looked sad and tried to hide it with a careful look up at the sky. “No, maybe Trevinter mages, but not the rest of us. Maybe someday I can make that trip…”

“What did you say to that girl in the village today? Knowledge is for everyone?”

Blue eyes still on the darkness, she let a small smile perk up the side of her mouth. “It will change Thedas.”

A deep drawl startled Varric from his focus on Branwen. “That it will, but not at this time of night, _Ashkaari_.”

The Iron Bull towered over the two of them as he stepped into the doorway of the balcony. His friend lit up like a candle and he couldn’t help but chuckle at her obvious infatuation with the Qunari.

“ _Shanedan, Kadan_.” Branwen stood and grabbed her notebook, handing it to Varric. “Here, take my notes for the night. If it doesn’t interest you, it will at least help you sleep.” She smirked. “Chanty history did the same for me when I was still studying.”

“I’m honored. I didn’t think this was the sort of thing you’d ever let out of your sight.” He stood and tucked the small leather bound book into the pocket of his shirt. “I’ll bring it back before we head out tomorrow.”

“I would appreciate it, just…” she fidgeted suddenly, probably realizing she was letting it out of her sight. “Don’t spill wine on it, if you could. I mean, I can manage if you do, just…”

He chuckled and nudged her arm. “I’ll treat it as if it were Bianca.”

This seemed to ease her mind and she nodded. “Good night, my friend. Thank you for stopping by and listening to me babble.”

“Sleep well.” He eyed the Qunari and pointed an accusatory finger at him. “The very important Inquisitor needs her sleep, don’t keep her up all night.”

Iron Bull threw his hands up and looked slightly offended. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Uh huh,” Varric had to laugh under his breath as he let himself up. “Good night, you two.”


End file.
